Happy New Year everyone! I know this forum isn't super busy, but I'm hoping someone can help me out.

My Ruger has had itchiness problems before, but they seemed to go away as I tweaked his diet, etc. The vet was of no help at all. The last several weeks he has been really scratching. I initially thought it might be the drier weather, but it's not that dry here. He gets fish oil, coconut oil, etc.

While I was inspecting him, I noticed what looks/feels like bites (not cysts!), little bumps, like a mosquito bite would look on me. It's been awhile since I've been bitten by a flea, so don't remember if those generally are the same size or not. He is on flea meds (NexGuard) and I haven't noticed any fleas on him or on bedding, etc. at all. And he doesn't spend time in the grass. We go on walks and he goes in the grass to do his business. My question is, could a food allergy or intolerance cause such bumps?

He wasn't groomed too long ago. Would hair growing back cause bumps like that? They aren't pussy (sorry) though like ingrown hairs would be.

I suspect it may be a different treat I recently started giving him. At lunchtime, after his walk, I'd give him a treat by AvoDerm, but my small local pet shop got a new brand in that was more economical so I gave them a try. It's a grain-free treat in the shape of a bone, about 3 inches long. It's not a small treat so maybe it's possible that one of those per day is enough to affect him? I just stopped them but don't know how long I should wait until I notice a difference. I threw the bag away so can't recall the brand.

Eventually, I want to do the NutraScan test. But right now, I just want to stop the treats and see if that makes a difference. While I hate unnecessary drugs, I'm thinking of trying Benadryl, just to give him some relief. In the middle of the night I hear him scratching and I feel so bad for him. I've given him baths in special shampoo, etc. from the vet. Didn't help.

Any thoughts on Benadryl? How much? Do I buy liquid? Pills? How do I give it to him?

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2017 9:52 am

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Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:49 pmPosts: 351Location: Washington State

My Cairn Terrier mix, Punkin, was very allergic to flea bites. Even tho she was on flea meds, she would still get bitten occasionally. It caused a raised, red, itchy bump that looked like a pimple with a red center. The worst ones always seemed to be either right above her tail or in the fold between her leg and her belly. Because the flea med killed the flea pretty quickly, I never saw one on her but I did learn to recognize 'flea dirt' in her fur near the bites. Of course, she had a pale undercoat so it was easier to see. You may not be able to find it on Ruger even if it is there.

My vet suggested Benadryl for her and it seemed to help quite a bit. She prescribed 1 mg per pound, so I gave her 1/2 of a 20 mg pill each morning and evening with her food. I used a pill splitter just for her and then coated the pill with a bit of cream cheese or peanut butter. She took it right down.

I would think if it was the treats, you should see improvement within a week. If he is still scratching, you might check the area to be sure he hasn't scratched it open. You know how itchy a healing scab can be!

Good luck and keep us posted.

_________________Susan

Mom to Jennie, born 4/24/2014, Gotcha Day 6/20/2014Gone, but not forgotten: Honey, Punkin, Lady, Dusty and Chief

"If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers

I have been on the "itchy" merry-go-round, with Chloie, for years! Benadryl did help, but I recently discovered that it can raise her eye pressure. She is being treated for cataracts and could be headed toward glaucoma. So, I need to keep her eye pressure down.

So, I finally gave in and gave Chloie a dose of the Apoquel which I have had on hand. I was reluctant to use this product because it is new and there is not much info on long term use.

I gave Chloie 1/2 of a 5.4 mg. tablet this morning. And, all is very calm right now. It does work, but one has to choose all of the alternatives. This medication is very expensive, but absolutely does work for Chloie.

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:29 pm

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Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 7:50 amPosts: 178

Thank you all for your replies! I was just going to get some Benadryl to give some relief to Ruger, but was still concerned as to what was causing this. I took the opportunity to try out a new vet and I'm so glad I did.

I found a woman that combines traditional medicine with alternative therapies. Didn't appear to be a flea issue, but something was definitely wreaking havoc on his system.

She told me the protocol to try and figure out food allergies - eating a hydrolized protein diet for 10 weeks, etc. I said I had wanted to try the NutriScan test. She told me one of her pet dermatology friends said that was "crap science". Alrighty then. I'm open to new research and ideas. If I can get my dog to chew on a rope for a saliva test to try and determine what foods he may be intolerant to, I'd rather give that a try first. My vet supported me and said she'd work with me. She even had a NutriScan kit that she'd gotten but never used. Seemed like a good opportunity, so I sent in the test kit today.

But why was it so darn hard to get Ruger to chew on a rope this morning when I wanted him to, when any other time he will chew on his Wubba until he gets the ball out? I hope I got enough saliva for a successful test though. Anxious to get the results.

Attachment:

wubba resized.jpg [ 54.24 KiB | Viewed 2361 times ]

If the results don't show any significant food intolerances, I may have to do some traditional allergy testing. The vet thought it could be oak pollen that was affecting him, but my gut says no. While it may have affected him somewhat before when there was a ton of pollen outside, there isn't that much out now. But who knows, there are so many things that he could be allergic to. Just hate to put him through unnecessary testing. I'm rambling...

She recommended Zyrtec for him (can't remember why she recommended that over Benadryl, information overload), and I got some BioHex shampoo, VetOtic ear cleaner, and Catalyst Soft Chews (he was on another fish oil, but she encouraged me to try these.

Anyway, I'm glad she is willing to work with me. Have a follow-up next week and she is going to try acupuncture on Ruger! We'll see how that goes...

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:56 am

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Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:40 pmPosts: 1469

Streamed live on Feb 6, 2015

Discover the new science of the relationship between food and the gene response in PROMOTING HEALTH IN OUR PETS. Dr. Jean Dodds has a wonderful new book entitled "Canine Nutrigenomics - The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimal Health". Listen and learn all about the exciting potential of food

"Canine Nutrigenomics - The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimal Health"

Published on Jun 1, 2012

http://www.nutriscan.org Food intolerance or sensitivity is actually quite common whereas food allergy is rare. In fact, food intolerance is the third most common sensitivity condition in dogs and often can be easily remedied with a change in diet. For years, though, the difficulty lay in figuring out what foods were problematic -- until now.

Developed by world renowned veterinarian, Dr. Jean Dodds, NutriScan tests for the twenty most commonly ingested foods to provide you with specific results. Since it is a salivary test, you have the convenience to complete the test at home or at your veterinarian's office. Best of all, you can have the results in approximately two weeks to help you put your dog on the right diet.

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2017 12:48 pm

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Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 7:50 amPosts: 178

Joe in North Bay Ca wrote:

Streamed live on Feb 6, 2015

Discover the new science of the relationship between food and the gene response in PROMOTING HEALTH IN OUR PETS. Dr. Jean Dodds has a wonderful new book entitled "Canine Nutrigenomics - The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimal Health". Listen and learn all about the exciting potential of food

"Canine Nutrigenomics - The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimal Health"

Published on Jun 1, 2012

http://www.nutriscan.org Food intolerance or sensitivity is actually quite common whereas food allergy is rare. In fact, food intolerance is the third most common sensitivity condition in dogs and often can be easily remedied with a change in diet. For years, though, the difficulty lay in figuring out what foods were problematic -- until now.

Developed by world renowned veterinarian, Dr. Jean Dodds, NutriScan tests for the twenty most commonly ingested foods to provide you with specific results. Since it is a salivary test, you have the convenience to complete the test at home or at your veterinarian's office. Best of all, you can have the results in approximately two weeks to help you put your dog on the right diet.

Just wanted to add a recent discovery re: itchy skin. My Cricket has had itchy skin, that she sometimes scratches raw, for whole 5 years I've had her. Periodically, I have to cut her coat short, and get antibiotics. Recently we changed vets. New vet sold me a very pricey shampoo, about $28 for 16 oz.- and it's NOT concentrated!- But it worked immediately to stop her itchy skin! He said to bathe her with it every 3 days, well, it's winter and too cold for every 3 days, but I've been able to manage once a week for 3 weeks-- no itching, her skin has healed up and her coat is lovely!

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:24 am

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Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 7:50 amPosts: 178

Chris Gomes wrote:

Just wanted to add a recent discovery re: itchy skin. My Cricket has had itchy skin, that she sometimes scratches raw, for whole 5 years I've had her. Periodically, I have to cut her coat short, and get antibiotics. Recently we changed vets. New vet sold me a very pricey shampoo, about $28 for 16 oz.- and it's NOT concentrated!- But it worked immediately to stop her itchy skin! He said to bathe her with it every 3 days, well, it's winter and too cold for every 3 days, but I've been able to manage once a week for 3 weeks-- no itching, her skin has healed up and her coat is lovely!

Thank you Chris! I will look into it and keep the name of it for future reference. I just bought an expensive shampoo from the vet, but I don't recall how much it was. It doesn't sound like the same ingredients. The one I have has micro silver in it. I was bathing Ruger 3x/week, but now I'm down to 2x/week. It seems to be helping. His itchiness isn't gone, but it's better.

The Zyrtec didn't seem to help much so I tried Benadryl. It helped but made him a little drowsy. I don't use it all the time, esp. after reading about increasing eye pressure. I give it to him if he's especially itchy.

Hopefully the shampoo in combination with changing his diet will help. Thanks again!

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 2:17 pm

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Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:32 amPosts: 21

Hi, Just wondering if your dog is still experiencing the bumps. Did you find out what was the problem? How did you solve it? My droopy has those bumps around the body and redness on his back. He is not that itchy. Vet said that it was allergic reaction, but didnt know to what. I switched his food to grain free about a month ago, but didnt see any progress yet, Bathing him 2 to 3 times a week helps, but we need to find whats the problem and how to get rid of the bumps and redness. Any suggestion? Thanks

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:08 pm

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Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:40 pmPosts: 1469

Flame Retardant Dangers And Your Dog

In 2011, Indiana University scientists found that that chemical flame retardants in the blood of pet dogs showed concentrations five to ten times higher than in humans (Venier & Hites, Indiana University, Flame Retardants in the Serum of Pet Dogs and in Their Food).

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 5:42 am

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Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:32 amPosts: 21

Thanks Joe, you are totally right, the key is to find the cause, but what can it be? I had Droopy for more than a year and the allergic reaction started just couple of months ago. I will check the water. I switched his food to grain free food. Is it a plant outside? Is it the a couch? I have no clue. I temporarily suspended the treats.

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 5:47 am

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Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:32 amPosts: 21

Joe just want to thank your input and sorry for my slow reply, but I didnt get notifications about new postings in the forum. Back to the water, I give him filtered water from the fridge. That hasn't changed, so I am trying to think if I am giving him something new or probably he just developed the allergy. Wish me luck finding whats causing the problem.

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:01 pm

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Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:40 pmPosts: 1469

Pecas wrote:

Joe just want to thank your input and sorry for my slow reply, but I didnt get notifications about new postings in the forum. Back to the water, I give him filtered water from the fridge. That hasn't changed, so I am trying to think if I am giving him something new or probably he just developed the allergy. Wish me luck finding whats causing the problem.

Your fridge doesn't filter the water!!!!!

Is Your Tap Water Safe for Your Pets?

Maybe it’s time reconsider your tap water for the safety of you and your pets. Is it necessary to begin filtering your tap water? It may be. Filtered water may remove many potential sickness-causing organisms or metals from being ingested, including Fluoride, which as been shown to cause bone cancer.Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis is a filtration system that purifies water. It is a method of taking out almost all impurities from your drinking water. According to Reverse Osmosis Purified, some of the main toxic contaminants that the reverse osmosis system removes are:

Arsenic – is an element naturally found in air, soil and earth. It can be found in tap water through natural means or agricultural practices. Large amounts of arsenic in drinking water has been shown to have higher rates of lung cancer, leukemia, and stomach cancer. Antimony Aluminum Beryllium Cadmium Calcium Chloride Chlorine – in drinking water is often used to reduce the risks of pathogens and diseases. Although chlorine is used as a chemical agent to prevent diseases, the chlorine itself has been known to cause cancer and diminished health in many people. A study in the medical college of Wisconsin found that people who regularly drink water with chlorine had a higher chance of getting bladder and rectal cancer as much as 80% versus people who drink clean purified water. Chromium Copper Fluoride – has been known to be very toxic at certain levels of concentrations and when it is put in tap water, the amount of fluoride cannot be controlled. This is especially dangerous for people and animals with weak kidneys and need to drink lots of water throughout the day. Ingesting large amounts of fluoride can cause damage to soft tissues such as kidneys, the brain, and even bones. Iron Lead Magnesium Mercury Nitrate Potassium Radium – is naturally found in rocks, soil, and ground water. Radium is considered a hazard when ingested because when it enters the body only a small amount of it is digested into the intestines. The rest of the chemical is distributed throughout the body. Some places that the radium can enter is the bone tissue. When this happens it can cause serious damage over time, including bone cancer and bone fractures. Radon Selenium Silver Sodium Sulfate Thallium Zinc

Reverse Osmosis has been known to be one of the best methods in purifying unclean water which can then be used for drinking. It removes virtually everything from tap water, including essential minerals. Therefore, it may be necessary to add the essential minerals back into you and your pet’s daily routines.

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 8:44 am

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Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:40 pmPosts: 1469

I was talking to a person that has a black female cocker (12 year old) it's owner that had to be evacuated from the fires here in the north SF bay area as we had too leave too. She went to her daughter's place in Davis, California sense she was there her daughter took the cocker in to the vet school there.

She found out the dog has a staff infection from skin samples. Before that the dog was bathed three times a week. She said it's a very strong med and one needed to wear gloves to touch the pill. Her dog would not eat after taking it.

Post subject: Re: More questions on itchiness, allergies and Benadryl...

Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2017 12:27 pm

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Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2015 11:18 amPosts: 521

Yes, Reverse Osmosis systems are great. Just fyi - they do waste about 3 gallons of water for every gallon you get - especially those under-sink models. I am looking into getting a counter-top one, so I can use it just for drinking - for us and Cici.

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